Book Review: To See the Mountain/Caine Prize 2011

By the time that my copy of To See the Mountain and other stories arrived, I had already read the shortlisted entries for this year’s The Caine Prize. All the shortlisted stories are online at The Caine Prize website and I’d downloaded them and put them into a folder shortly after the shortlist was announced.

So when the publishers, New Internationalist, contacted me and asked if I’d like a review copy, I was still pleased to say yes. I had been wondering whether a book would be published, as I’d bought the 10^th anniversary copy of The Caine Prize collection last year at the British Library. The new book is available here: New Internationalist.

Last year I attended two Caine Prize events, one before the winner was announced, and one afterwards. I found them fascinating, really enjoyable, and certainly in the case of the second event, an eye-opening experience as to how literature is discussed in academic circles. I wrote about it at the time 2010 Caine Prize

While I knew of some of the work of past Caine Prize authors, I had not actually made the connection between them and The Caine Prize until I went to that 10^th anniversary event. Certainly I had no idea that each year a collection of the contenders stories are published in a book. If you take a look at this link here you can see all the previous books, it is certainly an early indication of the some of the most talented authors working today. Now The Caine Prize is very much marker in my year of literary prizes and I was looking out for it this year.

Despite work commitments out of London, I have still been able to sign up for two of the events, at the Royal Overseas Club and the British Museum. Now that I know what to expect, I am certainly looking forward to the British Museum event – which it seems will be the more learned event. This event is free and I find that I cannot say no to a little bit of fine literary freeness. Full details of all The Caine Prize events are here: Events  

Having already read the first section of the book, I decided to work through it, though not in an entirely random way admittedly, certainly not in the order published. I started off with the 2010 shortlisted authors who have new work in this collection. Four of them - Ken Barris (South Africa), Alex Smith (South Africa), Namwali  Serpell (Zambia), Olufemi Terry (Sierra Leone) - were included. I was really pleased to be re-acquainted with their work. I found them all to be very engaging and thoughtful stories. I was surprised by how this time round they were all dealing with relationships between adults, giving the reader the chance to contemplate connections between all kinds of Africans. To be fair Ken Barris’, work is always grown-up – by which I mean from the adult perspective - but this time his work – from which the collection takes it's title, was mocking of the writers' workshop, which I presume was based partially on his Caine Prize experience. He also seemed to be lampooning those who turn to writing fiction, while actually really seeking other things (biblical in this instance) to make their peace with the world. I found it a funny laugh-out-loud story, which says really sweetly wherever you find friendship your (writing or life) journey is your own.

I did not get the subheads in Alex Smith’s story (Wolf Blue), so I feel as though I have missed out on something, even though the story built the terror and tenseness incredibly well and ended for me with relief about the lead character's frame of mind.  I was under the impression that Namwali Serpell’s 2010 shortlisted story was actually the chapter of a book that was due to be published this year. So while I found this story, The Man with the Hole in his Face, an interesting insight into how black Africans in the tourist industry observe non-Africans, what I really wanted to know is what has happened to the characters in her shortlisted story Munzungu.

Also, I wonder what’s happened to Lily Mabura (Kenya) she was not included in this collection and her How Shall We Kill the Bishop was I thought a striking introduction to her work.

I am rubbish at picking winners, so while I’d not have selected Olufemi Terry’s story, as the 2010 winner myself, by the end of the events I attended, I was pretty sure he’d be the one who’d be the best company over dinner and drinks. His contribution here (Dark Triad) is a rather sharp look at middle-class Africans tip-toeing around their European orientated aspirations.

Of the other contributions in this collection, I would draw your attention to the work of The Bridge by Jide Adebayo-Begun (Nigeria), which has a flavour of Claire Denis’ film Vendredi Soir to it. I also felt that Twinkle Twinkle Little Star by Lawrence Kadzitche (Malawi) punctures the ego and much more, of what many will recognise as a caricature of our so called community leaders. It is done in a both a humourous and sad way, and I am left feeling that I would love to see more from him. Also Elizabeth Ngozi Okapalenwe’s The Lost Friend plays with writing and teenage angst very cleverly.

So back to the 2011 Caine Prize shortlisters, it’s a fascinating collection of stories, I think that they are all memorable, but for me there are three stand out ones. And I am glad that I'm not a judge, as I cannot really decide. 

Hitting Budapest by NoViolet Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) Is in the style of a children’s story where gang of children with no parental control go off and have an adventure. In this case the ‘adventure’ is actually a search for food, as the children are starving. As you get to know the children and see the world through their eyes you can only be shocked at the tactlessness and self-regard of those that fail to understand Africa.

What Molly Knew by Tim Keegan (South Africa) I’m sure that somewhere that someone is running a betting book on this, as from what I have picked up, this appears to be the favourite of many. It takes you swiftly through so much you cannot believe that it is such a short story. What Molly Knew explores the mother daughter relationship through lives lived in fear and with abuse. It’s clearly set in South Africa and told through the lens of that country’s particular history, but it really is a story that will be recognised by anyone who has lived in multiracial communities anywhere in the world.

In the Spirit of McPhineas Lata by Lauri Kubuitisile (Botswana) This is my first funny Caine Prize story. It is about how husbands and wives in long marriages can continue to keep one another happy. Venus and Mars spring to mind, but these people do find happiness, and despite its starting point of infidelity, it really is a charming story. 

Butterfly Dreams by Beatrice Lamwaka (Uganda) I found this the most affecting story. Told from the perspective of the sibling of a girl child solider, not only do you clearly understand the horrors that the returning child solider has been through, but also the impact of the loss on others in the family. It ends with hope, but is clear that this is only the start of a long road of recovery for the whole community.

The Mistress’s Dog by David Medalie (South Africa) This story seems based on a rather a quaint idea to me. That a long-wronged wife would take care of her late husband’s mistresses’ dog, is pretty much the strangest thing I’ve read in a long time. It is well written, but I don't understand why the sad loyalty displayed is worth portraying. 

So there you have it. The 2011 winner will be announced on the 12 July. In the past few years I have quite got into reading short stories, in fact previous Caine Prize winner E C Osondu, was a guest at my book club, The Black Reading Group in January to talk about his collection Voice of America. And my latest book purchase is  Ox Travels, a collection travel writing about meetings, that include Peter Godwin, Aminatta Forna, Ian Thomson and Tim Butcher – among many others.  So I feel much more comfortable about reading short stories than I did at even the beginning of this year. 


Ex Africa semper aliquid novi is The Caine Prize's mission. It means something like 'Africa always brings us something new'. And I really do love and admire the way that they are achieving it by introducing us to such wonderful writers and setting them off on their chosen careers. I would imagine that whether authors from Africa have been through the Caine Prize process or not, the literary doors are open to writers from there, in a way that they are yet to open as widely for Black Britons or writers from the Caribbean.  Wouldn't that be great? A literary prize that nurtures, advises and supports the African diaspora too.  

To buy To See the Mountain and stories use this link: The Caine Prize short story collection.